122 NOTES OF A BOTANIST 
that to reach the lake we had to cross the igarape 
about two miles up, and then penetrate the forest 
extending along its banks, to reach an open campo 
which stretches away to the shores of the lake. 
We crossed the igarape, and then attempted to 
pierce the forest ; but the track by which we 
entered it ceased after we had followed it a while, 
and we had then to cut our way through entangled 
lianas and Pindoba palms, steering by compass in 
the direction of the campo. While thus progress- 
ing slowly and with difficulty, I heard a distant 
roar, very much like that of a jaguar ; but as I had 
seen several cattle on the Santarem side of the 
igarape, I was willing to suppose the sound might 
have come from one of them. Shortly afterwards 
it was repeated, and a little nearer ; and in a few 
minutes more it was repeated, so loud and near, 
that it brought us both to a standstill. King had 
heard the two former growls, but, like myself, he 
had not spoken. We were armed only with 
tercados, and had barely arranged our plan of 
defence when we heard a tremendous crash among 
the underwood. After this, however, we heard no 
more. When we afterwards recounted the adven- 
ture to some Indians, they told us that the crash 
we had heard was undoubtedly the tiger, either 
springing on some deer, of which he had been in 
chase, or, arriving in sight of us and doubting 
his capacity to overcome us, betaking himself to 
flight. 
Rarely are jaguars met with so near Santarem ; 
yet a few years before an engagement took place 
between three men and a jaguar, in the very same 
valley. One of these men was armed with a 
